Dishwasher Comprising a Variable Device For Placing Objects That Are to Be Washed

ABSTRACT

A dishwasher includes a device for disposing pieces of silverware such that objects that are to be washed are, when placed in the washing receptacle of the dishwasher, disposed in a careful and easily accessible manner while keeping production costs low. The dishwasher includes at least one dish basket and a support area which can be coupled thereto and is used for placing objects that are to be washed. The support area can be locked onto the dish basket while being pivotable about an axis into different angles of inclination. At least one support element is arranged that supports the support area at different angles of inclination in a point located at a distance from the axis.

This invention relates to a dishwasher with a device for placing objects that are to be washed, in particular for placing items of crockery or cutlery

Normally the objects to be washed are arranged in the rinsing container of a dishwasher in one or a plurality of crockery baskets, where they are acted upon with rinsing liquid during the cleaning process. The crockery baskets of dishwashers of prior art frequently consist of a wire mesh, and are generally mounted displaceably on the side walls of the rinsing container so that they can be removed from the rinsing container of the dishwasher. One disadvantage of these crockery baskets of prior art consists in the fact that essentially they have a rigid wire structure which only permits limited variation possibilities when they are loaded with objects to be washed.

Crockery baskets have also been disclosed which are divided into storage areas with special devices for arranging certain items of crockery or cutlery. In some crockery baskets the support surfaces are pivotably fastened so that if necessary they can be brought into a horizontal position in which they can be loaded with objects to be washed, or so that they can be brought into a perpendicular position in order to enlarge the support space in the crockery basket. These support surfaces of prior art suffer from the disadvantage that they only offer the choice between use or folding up of the support area without increasing the variation possibilities in arranging objects to be washed in the crockery basket or on the support area.

Registered design DE 296 18 924 U1 describes a support for objects to be washed for a dishwasher, which support has a crockery basket and a support surface that can be coupled thereto, the support surface capable of being pivoted about a horizontal axis and locked at different angles of inclination. This device for placing objects to be washed suffers from the disadvantage that the mechanism for locking the support surface is relatively expensive and is therefore associated with high production costs. The high cost of the mechanism for locking the support surface is due in particular to the fact that is arranged close to the pivoting axis of the support surface, where relatively high torques are generated on a support surface loaded with objects to be washed.

The object of this invention is to provide a dishwasher with a device for placing goods to be washed, which dishwasher eliminates the above-mentioned disadvantages and enables the items of crockery or cutlery to be accommodated economically in the rinsing container so that they save space and are easily accessible at low production costs.

These objects are achieved by the dishwasher according to the invention with the features according to claim 1. Advantageous further developments of this invention are identified in dependent claims 2 to 12.

The dishwasher according to this invention has at least one rinsing container, at least one crockery basket and a support surface that can be coupled thereto for placing objects to be washed. The support surface can be locked on the crockery basket and thereby swivelled about an axis into different angles of inclination, at least one support element being arranged which supports the support surface at a point distant from the axis at different angles of inclination.

The advantage of the dishwasher according to the invention is that the angle of inclination of the support surface in the crockery basket can be variably adjusted. The support surface can therefore be adapted according to the height and width of the items of crockery or cutlery to be arranged on it. Since the angle of inclination of the support surface is adjustable according to the space required for the items of crockery or cutlery, the objects to be washed can be arranged in the crockery basket with a particular saving in space, which provides optimum use of space in the crockery basket. Because the support element supports the support surface at a point distant from its pivoting axis, an expensive mechanism for absorbing relatively high torques on the pivoting axis for locking the support surface is superfluous. Because of the simple structure of the support element, the production costs of the dishwasher according to this invention are reduced.

The use of support surfaces which are variable in their angle of inclination favours more convenient, easily accessible and safe placing of the items of crockery or cutlery in the crockery basket, with optimum use of the available storage space. Clear arrangement of the objects to be washed in certain positions in the crockery basket can therefore also be achieved and contact between the items of crockery or cutlery prevented, which favours their cleaning and prevents damage to the objects to be washed and the development of noise during the washing operation of the dishwasher.

According to a preferred embodiment of this invention the support element has a number of locking stages which engage with the support surface, enabling the support surface to be supported at different angles of inclination. Here the locking stages on the support element can be designed as grooves which grip the support surface according to the angle of inclination and keep them fixed, preferably by means of a clamping mechanism. The design of the support element, with a number of locking stages, facilitates the handling of the support mechanism, whilst the clamping mechanism guarantees secure fixing of the support surface by the support element.

In order to bring the support element, with the support surface, into a fixing connection, the support element can be suitably adjusted to an essentially perpendicular position. Alternatively it is possible to detach the support element from the support surface by adjusting it, for example, to an essentially horizontal position. It is particularly advantageous for the support element to be produced at least partially from an elastic material, thus enabling the support element to be adjusted easily to the desired positions. Here the support element is preferably pre-clamped with spring tension against the support surface towards the connection position, in which case the spring tension can be generated either by a separate spring mechanism or by the resilience inherent in the elastic material. Here the support element may be arranged, preferably detachably, either on the crockery basket or on the support surface at a point distant from the pivoting axis of the support surface.

According to a further preferred embodiment of this invention the support surface is connected, preferably detachably, by the clamping connection to the crockery basket. If necessary the support surface may, for example, be separated entirely from the crockery basket for the purpose of arranging bulky items of crockery or cutlery. It is particularly advantageous for the support surface to have an essentially horizontal support plane and is produced from a mesh, preferably of wires. Here the above-mentioned clamping connection between the support element and the crockery basket can be formed, for example, by suitably bent, preferably hook-shaped wire ends of the wire mesh. Since the crockery basket is normally produced from a wire mesh, the hook-shaped wire ends from the wire mesh of the support surface can each engage in the wire meshes of the crockery basket.

This provides the possibility of locking the support surface in different positions on different wire meshes of the crockery basket at different heights on the crockery basket. However, the support surface can also be engaged on any wire mesh lying in the horizontal support plane of the crockery basket. On the one hand this enables the vertical position of the support surface to be adapted to the size of the objects to be washed, arranged on it, and on the other hand enables allowance to be made to the spare required for the items of crockery or cutlery to be accommodated in the vicinity of the support surface.

A similar advantage can be achieved if the support surface can be locked optionally in different lateral positions on different wire meshes of the crockery basket. The support surface can therefore be arbitrarily displaced in the support plane of the crockery basket in order to optimise the arrangement of the items of crockery or cutlery in the crockery basket. In addition, or alternatively, the support surface itself can be variable in its length and/or width, thus the length and/or width of the support surface can be adapted to the items of crockery or cutlery to be arranged on it or to be accommodated in the crockery basket.

In a further advantageous embodiment of this invention a plurality of separate support surfaces, preferably arranged next to each other, are provided with at least one support element associated with them. Such an arrangement of separate support surfaces allows independent adjustment of different angles of inclination of separate support surfaces, and hence optimum use of the crockery basket for loading it with objects to be washed. This also provides the possibility, for example, of sing a plurality of support surfaces next to each other in the crockery basket, in order to accommodate a larger quantity of flat items of crockery or cutlery in the crockery basket, for example.

This invention is explained in greater detail in the following with reference to the drawing. The drawing shows a perspective representation of a part from the crockery basket with a support surface for placing objects to be washed for a dishwasher according to this invention in a preferred embodiment.

The drawing shows in detail a part of a crockery basket 1, which is used for placing objects to be washed and is mounted in the rinsing container (not shown) of a dishwasher according to the invention. A support surface 2, with an essentially straight support plane, is arranged on crockery basket 1, on which surface items of crockery or cutlery, in particular cups or glasses, can be placed. Both crockery basket 1 and support surface 2 are produced from wire meshing which consists of a number of wire meshes 5, 6, 8, and is coated with plastic to prevent damage to the objects to be washed and the formation of rust on the wire meshing.

In the exemplary embodiment of this invention shown in the drawing support surface 2 is arranged detachably on crockery basket 1 via a clamping connection. For this purpose wire ends 7 of the wire meshing of support surface 2 are of hook-shaped design and engage detachably in a wire mesh 8 of crockery basket 1. This enables support surface 2 to be separated, if necessary, or even as a whole, from the crockery basket in order to accommodate bulky items of crockery or cutlery in the crockery basket, for example. The clamping connection 7 between crockery basket 1 and support surface 2 is designed so that support surface 2 is pivotably mounted about an axis A, wire mesh 8 of crockery basket 1, on which support surface 2 is hooked, at the same time forming pivoting axis A of support surface 2.

Support surface 2 may therefore be arranged on different wire meshes 5 of crockery basket 1 at different heights on crockery basket 1. However, support surface 2 may also be arranged on different wire meshes 8 in the horizontal support plane of crockery basket 1. Therefore the vertical position of support surface 2 can be adapted to the size of the objects to be washed, arranged thereon, on the one hand, and allowance can be made for the space required for the items of crockery or cutlery to be accommodated in the crockery basket or in the vicinity of support surface 2 on the other.

On crockery basket 1 is arranged a support element 3 which supports support surface 2 at a point distant from axis A. Support element 3 has a number of locking stages 4 which engage on a wire mesh 6 of support surface 2, enabling support surface 2 to be supported at different angles of inclination. In the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing support element 3 is arranged on a wire mesh of crockery basket 1 so that support surface 2 is supported on its side opposite pivoting axis A by support element 3 by support element 3 at the desired angle of inclination. Alternatively support element 3 may also be arranged on support surface 2 and retain support surface 2 at different angles of inclination in a supporting manner on crockery basket 1. Support element 3 is produced from an elastic material so that it can easily be adjusted in its position. Support element 3 is here pre-clamped with spring tension against the support surface towards the connection position, the spring tension being generated by the elasticity of the material of support element 3.

Locking stages 4 on support element 3 are each designed as grooves, for example, which at least partially enclose wire mesh 6 of support surface 2 (not shown), and therefore retain it in a fixed manner. The enclosing device (e.g. grooves) is not shown in the drawing, and only locking stages 4 in support element 3 are shown. In order to make the fixing connection between support element 3 and support surface 2, support element 3 is located in an essentially perpendicular position, as shown in the drawing. In order to separate support element 3 from support surface 2, support element 3 is bent against its pre-tension from engagement with wire mesh 6 of support surface 2.

This invention provides the advantage that the angle of inclination of support surfaces 2 in crockery basket 1 is variably adjustable. On the one hand support surface 2 can be adapted according to the space required for the items of crockery and cutlery to be arranged on it, and on the other the objects to be washed can be arranged in the crockery basket with a considerable saving of space. Because support element 3 supports support surface 2 at a point distant from its pivoting axis A of support surface 2, support element 3 is only subjected to a relatively low load, which allows simple design of support element 3 and hence lower production costs.

In a crockery basket 1 a plurality of support surfaces 2 arranged next to each other may also be provided with which at least one support element 3 is associated. Stable fixing of support surface 2 at a certain angle of inclination is obtained if each support surface is supported over two support elements 3 arranged on the lateral ends of support surface 2. The arrangement of separate support surfaces 2 in crockery basket 1 allows independent adjustment of different angles of inclination of separate support surfaces 2, and hence optimum use of the crockery basket when loading with objects to be washed.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

-   1 Crockery basket -   2 Support surface -   3 Support element -   4 Locking stages on support element 3 -   5 Wire meshes of crockery basket 1 -   6 Wire meshes of support surface 2 -   7 Hook-shaped wire ends of wire meshes 6 -   8 Wire meshes in the plane of support of crockery basket 1 -   A Pivoting axis of support element 3 

1-12. (canceled)
 13. A dishwasher comprising: at least one rinsing container; at least one crockery basket; and a support surface that can be secured to the crockery basket in a manner permitting swivelling of the support surface about an axis into different angles of inclination, the support surface supporting items placed in the crockery basket; and at least one support element for supporting the support surface at a point spaced from the axis at different angles of inclination.
 14. The dishwasher according to claim 13, wherein the support element is arranged, preferably detachably, at a selected one of on the crockery basket and on the support surface at a point spaced from the axis.
 15. The dishwasher according to claim 13, wherein the support element has a number of locking stages that engage with the support surface, enabling the support surface to be supported at different angles of inclination.
 16. The dishwasher according to claim 13, wherein the locking stages on the support element are designed as grooves that engage with the support surface according to the angle of inclination and that retain the support element preferably by means of a clamping mechanism, in a fixed manner.
 17. The dishwasher according to claim 13, wherein the support element is produced at least partially from elastic material.
 18. The dishwasher according to claim 13, wherein the support element is pre-clamped with spring tension against the support surface.
 19. The dishwasher according to claim 13, wherein the support element for supporting support surface is adjustable to an essentially perpendicular position and otherwise to an essentially horizontal position.
 20. The dishwasher according to claim 13, wherein the support surface is produced from a meshing, preferably of wires, and has an essentially horizontal support plane.
 21. The dishwasher according to claim 13, wherein the support surface can be connected, preferably detachably, by a clamping connection to the crockery basket.
 22. The dishwasher according to claim 13, wherein the support surface can be locked in different positions on different wire meshes of the crockery basket, preferably at different heights on the crockery basket.
 23. The dishwasher according to claim 13, wherein the support surface is variable in at least one of its length and its width.
 24. The dishwasher according to claim 13, wherein the crockery basket has a plurality of separate support surfaces, preferably arranged next to each other, with which at least one support element is associated. 